Insulated rail-joint.



B. G. BRANE.

iNSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION men JAN. 15. 1915.

Patented June 1, 1915,

Z SHEETS-SHEET1- B. G. BRAINE.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I6. 1915.

l 9 1&1 AAO Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2.

CIIIuzuul pair stratus Parana ouuion.

' Bnncnor'r c. BRAINE, or new roan, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL 301mcomrnnr,

or NEW YQRK, n. Y, ACOREORATION on NEW YORK.

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

llJMLIlAlALil.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June fl, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BANCROFT Gr. BRAINE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at for thoroughly insulating arail joint in such a manner as to dispense with rail head insulation,that is with the insulating material ordinarily placed between the topedges of the splice bars and the under sides of the rail heads.- Thisfeature of improvement will therefore obviate the use of insulation atthe point where the same is subject to the greatest wear, and willconsequently materially increase the life of the joint as an insulator,besides providing economical conditions for maintenance and repair.

The invention also contemplates a novel construction which provides, notonlyan improvement in the distribution of the insulating material, butalso an improvement in the mechanical features of the joint whereby thesame shall possess the requisite stiffness and strength,'with a minimumuse of insulation. Furthermore, from both the electrical and mechanicalstandpoints, the improvement involves a construction which permits thebase section of insulation to extend the full length of the joint, thussafeguarding the insulation of the joint throughout at the base, at thesame time contributing a desirable mechanical feature in the particularof relieving the considerable rigidity and stifi'ness of an all-metalconstruction for one end of the joint, and providing uniformity offlexibility throughout.

With these and other objects in view which will be appreciated andrecognized by'those familiar with the art as the nature of the inventionis understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination,and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,and claimed.

The essential features of the invention are necessarily susceptible ofstructural modifications, and are applicable to various kinds of oints,without departing from the scope thereof, but a preferred and practicalembodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a side elevation of an insulated rail joint embodyingthe novel features of construction contemplated by the presentinvention. Fig. 2'is a side elevation thereof with the joint bar removedto expose the preferable form of insulation employed. Fig. 3 is avertical cross sectional view of the joint on the line 33 of Fig. 1,that is through the completely insulated end of the joint. Fig. 4 is asimilar view through the non-insulated end of the joint, on the line Hof Fig. 1.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures throughout the drawings.

The features of improvement constituting the present invention are notlimited in their application to any particular type of rail joint andhence are available for use with fish plates, angle bars, channel bars,or any of the divers forms of splices which extend across the jointbetween the meeting ends of the rails, but for purposes of illustrationthere is shown in the drawings a joint bar of the continuous type.

According to the requirements of the pres-- ent invention, it isnecessary to provide a construction and arrangement of parts wherebyeach joint bar shall be in electrical contact with the head of one railand shall have an air-gap insulation from the head of the other rail, incombination with other suitably disposed insulating material to completethe insulation of the joint. Different forms of construction may beemployed to maintain this air-ga insulation for one end portion of thejoint ar and an electrical contact between the remaining portion of thebar and one rail, but the same is well exemplified by the embodimentshown. lieferring to this embodiment, the rail joint includes theseparate rails 1 and 2 which are respectively the leaving rail and therece ving rail, a pair of oppositely arranged oint bars'3, and the usualjoint bolts 4. Each of the joint bars 3 shown in this form ofconstruction is rolled, or otherwise formed at one side of thetransverse center thereof,

with a full-height supporting splice member having a bearing head 6 atits upper edge.

tact with the under side of the head of the receiving rail, andtherefore represents one means of providing electrical communication orelectrical contact between the bar and one rail. It will also beobserved that the said bearing head 6 of each joint bar is spaced fromthe web of the rail in the conventional manner to admit of the usualadjustments of the bar. I

The remaining portion of each joint bar is formed with atruncated'splicemember 7, That is, one portion of each splice bar has a truncatedcharacteristic in the sense of being cut off or cut down at the top, asindicated by the reference numeral 8, so that the bar is narrowed orreduced in height throughout that part which is applied to the leavingrail. The truncation, or reduction in height, of the splice member 7 isof a sufficient extent so that said top edge portion 8 of each joint baris spaced a material distance from the under side of the rail head inorder that there may be no metal or electrical contact therewith. Byreason'of thus spacing the top edges 8 of the joint bars from the undersides of the head of the leaving rail, an electrically insulatingair-gap 9 is provided at these points, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3of the drawings, said air-gap effectually preventing electricalcommunication between the top edges of the truncated splice members 7and the head of the leaving rail.

The truncation or reduction in height of the splice member 7 of each barmay be accomplished in any suitable manner. For instance, this may bedone by planing oil the head of the bar for approximately one half ofthe joint, or the same result can be effected through a bull-dozingoperation. Or, in fact, the -bar may be readily rolled in the passes ofrolling mills, leaving the same with an ofl'set 10 at an intermediatepart of its upper edge so as to produce the bearing head 6 for oneportion of the bar, and to leave the truncation or depressed edge 8 atthe top of the remaining portion of the bar, so that the air-gap 9 maybe provided.-

It is by reason of this structural characteristic of each joint bar thatrail head insulation may be entirely omitted from between the top edgesof the joint bars and the under sides of the heads of both rails.

In a joint possessin'gthe mechanical features referred to, theinsulationthereof may be accomplished in a thorough manner by confiningthe insulating material to one of the rail ends. The pre erable way ofdoing this is shown in the accompanying drawings, and resides inemploying side insulation plates 11 interposed betweenthe web of theleaving rail and the truncated splice members 7. Each side insulationplate 11 is continued at its upper edge to a point at or slightly abovethe top edges 8 of the joint bars as indicated at 12, and it will herebe observed that each of the joint bars is provided along the inner sideof its top edge portion 8 with an inwardly projecting inside abutmentrib 13 adapted to contact with the adjacent edge portions 12 of theinsulation plate 11. This provides a clamping or holding means for theside insulation at this point, and also provides a bracing or holdingpoint for the upper edges of the truncated splice members, so that thelatter may be clamped tightly in place and the joint bolts kept tight.

With the type of joint bar shown in the illustration, the sideinsulation plates 11 have formed integrally therewith the baseinsulation plates 14:, which are preferably in the form of cufi's orsleeves embracingthe rail base flanges. In this connection, a desirableand practical feature is to have the base insulation plates 14coextensive with the length of the joint, so that they will not onlycover and insulate the flanges of the leaving rail, but will also coverthe base flanges of the receiving rail. Such construction safeguards theinsulation of the joint throughout at the base, but primarily performsthe mechanical function of cushioning extensions (14$) which relieve therigidity and stiffness of the non-insulated metal-to-metal constructionat the receiving rail-end of the joint, thereby providing uniformity offlexibility throughout the joint without sacrificing any of therequisite stiffness and strength thereof.

The insulation of the joint described may be completed in anyconventional manner. For instance, in the construction shown it is onlynecessary to combine with the side in-'. sulation plates 11-11 the.insulating end post 15 between the meeting ends of the rails, andsuitable .bolt insulation, as for instance the insulating sleeves andwashers 16 and 17 associated with the head and nut portions of the boltsextending through the. leaving rail and the truncated splice members 7.In this form of construction, metal backing washers, 18 are usuallyinterposed between the heads and nuts of the bolts and the insulatingWashers 17.

A further feature of practical importance that may be utilized incarryingforward the invention is to have the insulating airgap 9 ofgreater extent than one half the length of the joint, so as to cross thecenter of the joint at the meeting ends of the rails. This is providedfor by having the ofi-set 10 at the top edge of the bar located to oneside of the vertical transverse center of the bar. This results in aconstruction wherein a portion of the head of the joint bar has a directelectrical contact with the head of one rail, while the balance of thehead portion of the bar has an electrically insulating lactate air gapspacing from the heads of both rails.

. gered of the joint at the center, at which point short -.circuiting orcurrent leakage sometimes occurs, due to wear of the insulating end postor other causes.

arious modifications of the invention .may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope thereof, and in that connection itWill of course be understood that the insulation plates may be inseparate pieces instead of integral and that the improvement can bereadily adapted to stagand the insulation at opposite sides of the railshave a reversed relation. this will be apparent to those familiar withthe art,

without illustration, as well as the fact that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

I claim:

, 1. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rails, ajoint bar in electrical contact with the head of one rail and having anair-gap insulation from the head of the other rail.

2. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rails, ajoint bar in electrical contact with the head of one rail and having anair-gap insulation beneath the head of the other rail, and insulation'between the bar and the rail flanges.

3. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rails, ajoint bar in electrical contact. with the head of one rail and having anair-gap insulation beneath the head of the other rail, and insulationbetween the bar and the flange of. the latter rail.

4. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rails, ajoint bar having an electrical bearing contact with the ead of one railand having an electrically insulating air-gap spacing from the head ofthe other rail, and electrical base insulation extending along bothrails.

5. An insulated rail joint includin in combination with the rails, ajoint bar aving an electrical bearing contact with the head of one railand having an electrically insulating air-gap spacing from the head ofthe other rail, and electrical insulation for the bases of both rails.

6. An insulated rail joint including, in. combinationwith the rails, ajointbar, a portion of the head of said bar having a direct electricalcontact with the head of one rail and the balance of said head having anelectrically insulating air gap spacing from the head of the other rail,and insulating material at the side of the joint 7. An insulated railjoint including, in

or cross insulation wherein the bars.

a combination, the rails,

combination with the rails, a joint bar, a portion ofthe head of saidbar having a direct electrical contact with the head of one rail and thebalance of said head having an electrically insulating air-gap spacingfrom the head of the other rail, and insulating magerial between thejoint bar and the rail we.

8. An insulated rail joint including, in

combination With the rails, a joint bar, a portion of the head of saidbar having a direct electrical contact with the head of one rail and thebalance of said head having an electrically insulating air-gap spacingfrom the head'of the other rail, and base insulation for the railflanges. 9. An insulated rail joint including, in combination, therails, a joint bar having an air-gap insulation between its top edge andthe head of one rail, and insulating material at the side of said bar.

10. An insulated rail combination, the rails, a joint bar having anair-gap insulation between its top edge rail and an air-gap clearancefrom the head of the other rail, and insulation at the side of said bar.

12. An insulated rail combination, the rails, a joint bar having adirect metal contact with the head of one rail and an air-gap clearancefrom the head of the other rail, and insulating material between thejoint bar and the rail web.

13. An insulated rail joint including, in a joint bar having a directmetal contact with the head of one railand an air-gap clearance from thehead of the other rail, and insulation between the bar and the rail weband base.

14. An insulated rail joint including, in combination, the rails, ajoint bar having a full-height splice member directly engaging the headof one rail and a truncated splice member having an air-gap clearancefrom the head of the other rail to leave ,an intervening air-gap, andside insulation for the truncated splice member.

15. An insulated rail joint including, in combination, the rails, ajoint bar having a full-height splice member directly engagmg the headof one rail and a truncated splice member having an air-gap clearancefrom the head of the other rail to leave an mtervening air-gap, andinsulation between tht;J truncated splice member and the rail we 16. Aninsulated rail joint including, in combination, the rails, a joint barhaving one portion directly engaging the head of one rail and atruncated portion having an joint including, in

a joint bar having joint including, in

air-gap clearance from the head of the other rail and provided withaninside abutment rib, and side insulation for the said truncatedportion of the bar.

17. An insulated rail joint including, in combination, the rails, ajoint bar having one portion directly engaging the head of one rail anda truncated portion having an one portion directly engaging the head ofone rail and a truncated portion having an air-gap clearance from thehead of the other rail and provided at its inner upper edge portion withan inside abutment rib, and side insulation plates engaged by said rib.

19. An insulated rail joint including, in

' combination with the rails, a joint bar, a

portion of the head of said bar having 'a direct electrical contact withthe head of one rail and the balance of the head portion of said barhaving an electrical insulating airgap spacing from .the heads of bothrails, and insulating material at the side of the joint bar.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

BANCROFT' G. BRAINE.

Witnesses:

BENJ. A. WOLHAUPTER,

KATHERINE MCNALLY.

